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A modular micro mill for manufacturing steel long product from scrap metal using an induction melting furnace is disclosed. Scrap or pre-refined metal is delivered and melted in the induction melting furnace, the melted steel then being transferred by a preheated tundish to a casting station for pro

A modular micro mill for manufacturing steel long product from scrap metal using an induction melting furnace is disclosed. Scrap or pre-refined metal is delivered and melted in the induction melting furnace, the melted steel then being transferred by a preheated tundish to a casting station for producing billets. From the caster the billets are transferred directly to a billet staging station and stored in queue for delivering to main conveyor leading directly to the rolling mill without being cooled to ambient. The bars produced by the rolling mill are then quenched to impart desired metallurgical properties within the finished product. A control system runs the operation of the production line of the modular micro mill, the control system specifically adapting production rates, conveyor speeds, temperatures, etc. of components upstream within the production line based on the specific requirements and/or dimensions of the finished product exiting the production line.

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1. A modular micro mill for manufacturing a steel long product, comprising: an induction melting furnace for melting pre-refined metal;a casting station arranged downstream from said induction melting furnace for receiving melted steel from said furnace, the casting station forming two strands of bi

1. A modular micro mill for manufacturing a steel long product, comprising: an induction melting furnace for melting pre-refined metal;a casting station arranged downstream from said induction melting furnace for receiving melted steel from said furnace, the casting station forming two strands of billets;a rolling mill arranged downstream from said casting station, the rolling mill comprising a series of roll stands for rolling and/or shaping the billets into a long product having a predetermined shape and form;a billet staging station arranged intermediate said casting station and said rolling mill, said billet staging station receiving said two strands of billets from said casting station and alternatingly delivering said billets directly to said rolling mill without cooling; anda pre-heating conveyor system for pre-heating said pre-refined metal prior to delivery to said induction melting furnace, wherein the pre-heating conveyor system comprises a natural gas combustion chamber for pre-heating said pre-refined metal to a temperature of about 900° F.;wherein the modular micro mill has an overall production rate of approximately 200,000-225,000 tons per year. 2. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a thermo-processing station arranged downstream from the rolling mill for tempering the long product;a cooling bed for cooling the long product exiting the thermo-processing station; anda cold shear station arranged downstream from said cooling bed for cutting the long product exiting the cooling bed to a predetermined length to form a final product. 3. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein said induction melting furnace is a first induction melting furnace, the modular micro mill further comprising a second induction melting furnace, wherein the pre-heating conveyor system is mounted on a track structure, the pre-heating conveyor system shifting between a first operating position delivering pre-heated pre-refined metal to said first induction melting furnace and a second operating position delivering pre-heated pre-refined metal to the second induction melting furnace. 4. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-heating conveyor system is adapted to operate at a pre-heating rate of approximately 45 tons/hr. 5. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the induction furnaces are adapted to operate to melt the pre-refined metal at a temperature of about 2900° F. 6. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a control system for controlling production parameters of the modular micro mill, the control system receiving data relating to the shape and form of the final product and adjusting the production parameters of components upstream within the modular micro mill. 7. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control system adjusts production parameters of the casting station, the rolling mill, thermo-processing station and cold shear station. 8. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an induction equalization furnace arranged downstream from the billet staging station for reheating the billets prior to entry into the rolling mill. 9. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 8, wherein the induction equalizing furnace is adapted to re-heat the billets from a temperature of about 1600° F. to about 1950° F. 10. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the billet staging station comprises: a pair of individual conveyors, each individual conveyor for receiving one of said strands of billets;a main conveyor for receiving a billet from each of said individual conveyors in an alternating fashion; anda ramp interconnecting each of said individual conveyors to said main conveyor;wherein each ramp can accumulate billets and hold them in queue prior to delivery to the main conveyor. 11. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thermo-processing station is in the form of a nozzle system for quenching. 12. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casting station is adapted for forming said billets with a generally circular cross-section with a diameter of about 4½ inches and a length of about 90 ft. 13. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: at least one pre-heated ladle for receiving melted steel from the induction melting furnace;a ladle metallurgy station for incorporating additives into the melted steel; andat least one pre-heated tundish for receiving melted steel from the ladle metallurgy station;wherein the at least one pre-heated tundish delivers the melted steel from the ladle metallurgy station to the casting station. 14. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling mill comprises a first, roughing portion having 6-8 roll stands and a second, finishing portion having a further 6-8 roll stands. 15. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rolling mill further comprises slitting stations for splitting a rolled billet exiting one of said roll stands lengthwise into two strands prior to entering a subsequent one of said roll stands. 16. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 15, wherein the rolling mill is adapted to operate at operating speeds in the range of about 170 fpm to about 1500 fpm. 17. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casting station is adapted to operate at a rate of approximately 30 tons/hr with a speed of about greater than or equal to 110 ipm. 18. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a loading crane for transferring pre-refined metal to a conveyor system for delivery to said induction melting furnace, wherein the loading crane operates at a speed that exceeds the consumption rate of the induction melting furnace. 19. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a divide shear station intermediate said thermo-processing station and said cooling bed wherein the long product exiting the thereto-processing station is cut to a cooling bed length prior to entry onto the cooling bed. 20. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: a bundler for bundling groups of product together, the bundler forming sub-bundles, the sub-bundles being grouped together to form bundles; anda strapping machine for strapping and/or securing the sub-bundles and bundles of product together. 21. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 19, wherein a coiling line is arranged downstream from said thermo-processing station, the long product exiting the thermo-processing station being diverted away from the divide shear station and cooling bed and being re-directed to said coiling line for coiling. 22. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a fume collection system for collecting and safely discharging emission produced during operation of the modular micro mill, the fume collection system comprising: canopy structures arranged over fume and/or emission producing components of the modular micro mill; anda ducting system in communication with the canopy structures for collecting and discharging emissions produced during operation. 23. The modular micro mill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an afterburner arranged in a chamber adjacent said pre-hearing conveyor system, said chamber and afterburner for collecting and burning-off products of combustion from said pre-heating conveyor system.